Chapter 255: Huifeng's Engineering

"Huh, this really is good news……"

Xia Zhi raised an eyebrow, looking thoughtful.

Is today some kind of turning point of fate? Otherwise, how could there be such a streak of good luck?

——First, a Nautiloid crashed near the Emerald Plains, and he extracted damaged Blueprints from it……

——Then a living adult Mind Flayer was captured as a precious Living Specimen……

——Followed by the suspected discovery of the "Chosen Piece" adventurer selected for this adventure story……

No matter how you put it, these are all undoubtedly good news, enough to directly boost the progress of his Project Preparation and Plan Progress by a significant margin.

As it turns out, that wasn't the end of it; immediately came word that Mingsala's side had also joined in the excitement — isn't that just one piece of good news after another?

That modified Power Warhammer has a hidden Reconnaissance Module besides its Destruction Specialization.

It activates autonomously when it detects an Environment Change around the user——

Releasing those brazenly deployed ultra-micro Information Collection Devices that stole a certain Academy City Chairman's design and were named "Hovering Return Line".

Although, in reality, only the name is the same.

After all, to adapt to this Other World where both Law Composition and Material Composition, the Underlying Logic, are completely different from the Physical Universe he was familiar with, the design was also modified accordingly.

But no matter what, it is equally an astonishingly hidden ultra-micro Device, theoretically capable of semi-permanent Intelligence collection.

And reaching Nano Scale means it is not just hidden, but possesses an astonishing Mors Quantity.

Even just the one Reconnaissance Module built into Mingsala's Nail Hammer can hide a quantity approaching Million Quantity.

This was because it was just a Temporary Idea at the time, so he couldn't pack in more Nanodevices.

If there had been sufficient Preparation, establishing formal Production Lines, Industrial Workshops, Nanite Forges, and so on, what level of Productivity could be reached is Not Good to say.

This was originally just for Prevention——

For instance, if Mingsala were Exposed and captured for Interrogation by the Supreme True God Sect, they would confiscate the weapon too, right?

That way, upon Perceiving a drastic Environment Change, the internal Reconnaissance Module would activate.

Perhaps there would be an Opportunity to Position that cult's headquarters, and incidentally survey the Terrain Environment as well.

He just didn't expect there would be an Unexpected Joy.

………………

………………

"……The Environment Change occurred Eleven Minutes Twenty-three Seconds ago. Based on the returning Quantum Signal feedback, that Drow is inside the Gnome Camp, having found a hidden Channel."

The personal AI Miss considerately uploaded the footage, projecting it onto Xia Zhi's Vision.

Today her Character Illustration is Lie Kexingdun, and her voice has been adjusted to match the illustration's characteristics.

"The Channel is hidden inside the desecrated Temple, leading straight down underground, extremely Deep Tunnel. From Audio Recording analysis, Mingsala is very certain the Underdark lies below……"

Xia Zhi examined the image projected on his Retina, watching the Drow leading people rapidly sliding down that long, Bottomless Ladder, and Nodding:

"This is quite normal……"

"After all, she herself comes from the Underdark, so she must be very familiar with that aura……"

She probably confirmed the facts the moment she discovered that underground Channel.

It feels just like coming home.

Only——

"What's with that ladder? Is it that long?"

Looking at the ladder in the video footage extending endlessly down into the Deep Tunnel, seemingly Bottomless, Xia Zhi couldn't help but complain.

"Probably limited by Technical Limitation and material restrictions, the Lowest Level is a Selune Follower Sentinel Post. Don't know if it's a Bridgehead for some operation against the Underdark……"

Huifeng explained with a calm face.

"Whatever it was, it's already been Abandoned. Only a Sentinel Post remains, its Magic Devices still barely operating, but the followers have gone who knows where……"

Whatever the past operation was, it inevitably failed.

Under that Premise, expecting them to build an Elevator or something isn't very realistic either.

"However, the ladder itself hasn't Rotted; it seems protected by some Weak Energy Field. Can't confirm what Spell or other method it is for now……"

"It can still be used normally. According to Scan results, the Safety Coefficient is above expectations — the high kind. It just has Requirements on the user's own Physical Fitness……"

Huifeng eagerly suggested: "Of Course. From now on that place is our Territory. We can build an Elevator for direct up and down access."

She already has the Construction Plan ready.

Anyway, on the Surface World is that desecrated Temple, abandoned long ago, later occupied and converted into a Gnome Camp by the Supreme True God Sect.

And below is likewise a Sentinel Post abandoned who knows how many years ago. In short, both are now equivalent to Territory under their control.

Then not building all kinds of Engineering projects on a grand scale according to their own ideas — wouldn't that be a waste?

"That works. Send me a copy of the Project Proposal when the time comes."

Xia Zhi didn't choose to dampen Huifeng Miss's Enthusiasm, but lightly Nodded in Recognition.

Huifeng is always very invested in this. After all, her Essence is a Nanite Cluster. If she has an Origin, perhaps endless Self Replication and Scale Expansion is her Chaotic Impulse.

Mors However, regrettably, Master does not intend to completely release all her bindings and restrictions.

At least not for now.

At most, let her do some Small Scale, Standard Engineering projects like now, just to satisfy the urge.

As the ultimate Permission Holder, Xia Zhi naturally has legitimate reasons: one, it's Unnecessary; two, for Safety…… that's right, for Safety.

After all, this Nanite System contains infinite potential. That's not an exaggeration, but determined by its Essence Characteristic.

In fact, even the Information Integration Thought Entity governing the Galaxy has Warned of this.

Through Nagato Yuki's mouth, revealing an astonishing Future Vision——

"……Once this system's Preliminary Scale is built, it will be able to begin growing at an explosive rate……"

"... In two days at most, Earth will completely change its appearance. All matter on this planet will become part of 'It'..."

"... In about seven months, the entire Solar System will go dark, even the hottest planets will fall into a frozen state, because the Dyson Sphere will be complete..."

"... In thirteen years at most, the Solar System, with all resources mined and utilized to the maximum extent, will no longer be needed, and will no longer exist..."

"... In twenty years, the Grey Goo Storm expanding and replicating at geometric growth rates will devour all stars in the Galaxy step by step, its tendrils extending to the boundary of Andromeda..."

This is merely just a beginning.

And this series of reform and disaster all stems from an unreleased nanomachine system.

This is beyond doubt, after all for a system that "can infinitely consume matter to copy itself, thereby achieving infinite replication"——

If not subjected to any restrictions, it will inevitably be a universe-level disaster.

Xia Zhi understands this point very clearly, which is why he keeps the Grey Goo Storm firmly in his own hands.

He will of course lift the Gray Gu's restrictions, realizing its boundless potential, but that must be gradual, planned, level by level.

——During the Qi Refining Stage, the Gray Gu's scale cannot exceed the planet itself...

——During the Foundation Establishment Stage, the Gray Gu's scale cannot break through the Solar System's upper limit...

——During the Golden Core Stage...

Cough cough, this still depends on the specific situation to decide, after all he hasn't reached the Golden Core Stage yet.

In short, it means deciding how much of the Gray Gu's potential to release based on his own Life Essence and Evolution Height.

In cultivation terminology, the Gray Gu is currently his most important magic treasure, and a growable one at that... just if the growth level is too high, surpassing his own cultivation as the master, that would be trouble.

Xia Zhi doesn't intend to go to the Investiture of the Gods set and cameo an unlucky role.

So for this kind of situation or sign, he definitely must keep firm control.

The Gray Gu losing control is ultimately not a good thing, and he doesn't intend to gamble, to see if the direction of loss of control is "Runaway Machine Servant" or "Iron Heart Absolute Destroyer"...

After achieving Magic God, he can find some amusement.

For now, forget it.

………………

………………

The permitted nanomachines started up with astonishing efficiency.

First was the surface part, the entire Gnome Camp and the land in the nearby area were all quietly brought under control.

Just while the cultists were still active normally, everything underwent earth-shattering changes.

Although on the surface it still looks like there aren't many changes, collapsed thick walls, tottering statues, cracked floors...

Completely the appearance of an abandoned dungeon.

However actually——

The statues' eyes turned into monitoring cameras...

The collapsed walls' interiors were expanded into new spatial areas...

Under the cracked floors, various cables and pipelines were laid...

The internal quantum processing modules also came online one after another, information transmission data flowing in and out among them, beginning to work automatically day and night.

Through the construction of signal stations, and laying link nodes along the channel all the way to the sentinel post at the lowest level, they could also better receive the signals transmitted back by the hovering return lines diffusing outward.

"The farthest hovering return line has already drifted out over a hundred kilometers away, after crossing the underground river area, there's a large underground ruins on the opposite side..."

"A substance signal highly similar to Mithral material is in that ruins, although very weak, seems to be only some debris, but at least proves there once existed such an ore vein there..."

Of course, it's also possible it still exists now.

Just go take a specific look and you'll know.

Listening to Huifeng's simulated excited tone, Xia Zhi thought this in his heart.

He also set off directly through the channel, arrived at the lowest level, while Mingsala and the others didn't even know anything——the drow were still leading subordinates, pondering how to crack the Selune Follower Sentinel Post's security system.

(Chapter End)